Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-06-30
A MYSTERIOUS SHOT.

During Bragg's occupation of Mission
Ridge and Lookout Mountain was con-
nected with the Army of the Tennessee
as scout. and in seeking to re-enter
the city after after trip lasting four
days was captured on the Rossville
road, about three miles from Snodgrsss
Hill, around which the battle Of
Chickamaugs ragged so 6ercely. The
whole country was full of Confederate
soldiers, scouts and bushwhackers, and
l was moving with the utmost care,
thinking to get as near our lines as pos
sible before dark, when man in but
ternut clothes suddenly stepped out in
front of me from behind large tree.
lifted a shotgun to an aim, and called
out:
Stand right thar, or I'll blow the top
of your head off 7
was more than SCOUT was spy.
That is was in semi-Confederate uni
form and within the enemy's lines, and
any drumhead court martial Wonld SEN
tence me to death. 1 was not altogher
unprepared for the meeting, having
realized the probability, and as the gun
covered me L answered the man in what
l tried to make steady voice:
If it's all the same to you ] prefer to
sit down, for I'm clean beat out with
hard work.
sat down on log and looked up at
him. He was man about forty years
of age, tall, gaunt and fierce looking. and
from the cut of bis clothes l took him
to be member of some predatory band
which had been called in for the time
being and assigned with the regular
troops. He might, however. have been
regular scout, or a bush W hacker, work
were between the Confederate front and
the pickets and outposts. and in very
thick wood. The time was four o'clock
in the afternoon.
AS sat down the man lowered his
gus and leaning on 1t for a minute
while he surveyed me. Then l noticed
that he had been drinking, and was
what is termed ugly drunk. His eyes
were bloodshot, his face covered with
scowIs, and it was plain enough that he
was ripe for murder.
Who be you? I? he demanded in a gruff
voice.
John Thomas,a scout for Gen. Bragg.
Who are your
so you know Giueral Bragg. eh?
Certainly
so do II Purity good man, eh?'
Yes. Who are your
None O. your biznessr he exclaimed,
after regarding me for a full half minute.
We'll, don't Care. What are you do
ing here in the wOods?'
so you know Gineral Bragg, eh?' be
queried, coming little closer.
4 told you 1 did. I'm going to his
headquarters now.
oh, you be? Mebbe you'd be so kind
as to pint out whar them headquarters
are?'
L would if l could, but 1 haven't
found 'em yet
L thought sol And so you know the
Gineral by sight?'
L do
'Mebbe you'd be so kind and conde+
scendin' as to describe him to mel!
He had me there. l had never heard
the Generals looks passed upon, and l
realized that the chances were not one
in twenty that could hit him.
Well. I'm waiting! growled the man,
after moment
oh, you arep l sneered, changing my
tone and demeanor. Now, then. l want
to know all about you. I've been think
ing you might be Yankee spy. l ought
to take you back to the lines
Hell hel hep chuckled the fellow, as
he leered at me. Say, Ysnk, you amt
half smart! knoWed you on sight,and
your voice give you awayP
Don't 'Yank' mel l Indignantly ex
claimed. You come along to the pick
ct post and III find out who you areP
l started to rise up, but he lifted his
gun to his face and growled along the
barrel:
You've got Jist thirty seconds to live.
and you'd better do some tall praying.
He meant murder. could see it in
his eyes and read 1t IN his face. Wheth>
er he really took me for Yankee spy,
or whether he wanted to kill me out of
pure cussedness and for the sake of
plunder, know not, but he certainly
meant to kill. He had my head covered
with his aim. finger on the trigger. and
was apparently counting off the seconds
allowed me, when he suddenly straight.
ened up, dropped his gun. threw up his
arms and fell forward at my feet. As
he was falling ! heard the report of
gun not far away, and knew that the
man had been shot l sprang up and
took refuge behind large tree, and
though | waited and watched for half
an hour no one appeared nor could | de-
tect any movement. l crept on hands
and knees to the stiffening corpse aud
saw that the man had been shot in the
back. | took the shot back to tree
two hundred feet away. and there found
foot prints where the shooter had stood.
Who he was. why he had fired the shot,
which way he went, are matters which
| have never been able to solve.-George
] Peterson, in Detroit Free Press.